


Check you out

by ForxGood



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: AU, Bakery AU, F/F, Librarian AU, all the aus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 13:32:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8715820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForxGood/pseuds/ForxGood
Summary: The ‘I work in a library and you work in a bakery and you give me a cupcake once a week so that I’ll allow you to keep books a few days over the due date but you don’t think you come for the books anymore’ AU





	

**Author's Note:**

> Another RP thread from freakin-faraday-cage and I moved from Tumblr to AO3. Just some short & sweet fluffy Holtzbert goodness in which Erin is a librarian, Holtzmann works at a bakery, and they both have a hopeless crush.

Two slender fingers slide two cupcakes across the check-out desk; one chocolate and one vanilla. “I was wondering if maybe two treats would let me check out the librarian.” Holtzmann snorts, a wolf-like grin eating her features. 

“Or two books on Quantum Physics. Dealer’s choice.”

Erin felt her face flush at the words, not really used to being flirted with. Especially by the cute bakery employee who kept bringing by cupcakes to bribe her into keeping her books a little longer.

 _‘But I get so busy sometimes! You know how it goes,_ _please_ _?_ ’ She’d been unable to resist those eyes since day 1, cupcakes or no cupcakes.

“Clever.” She laughed nervously, pretty sure the blonde was just joking around. She always did, after all. It seemed every other sentence that came out of her mouth was a chat-up line, and while Erin found that incredibly adorable, it was also incredibly frustrating.

Mainly because part of her really,  _really_  wanted the other woman to seriously ask her out. 

Taking the vanilla cupcake - she’d learned the cute blonde had a thing for chocolate anything - she flashed the other woman a smile as she rested her elbows on the desk, gently shoving the remaining cupcake back to the baker. “Any quantum physics books in particular? It’s quite a broad topic.”

“ _Damn_.” Jillian banged her fist dramatically on the counter. “I was really hoping you’d pick the first option- next time, next time.”

She let out a goofy sigh- her antics were like clockwork and they were both a gift and a curse. When she was serious it came off as joking and it usually led to her downfall. 

“You’re my favorite subject, but  _alright_ , if I have to pick quantum physics, I suppose I would go with something that goes into more intense detail about the Dirac equation- but that’s because I’m  _crazy_ with too much free time at lunch hour. But you know me, always looking for some light reading.” 

She waggles her eyebrows as she dips a finger into the chocolate frosting before bringing it to her lips. “You’re too good to me.”

She delicately pulled the wrapper away from the spongy cake only to not-so-delicately devour the baked good. 

“Sorry–” Her speech was muffled. “I skipped breakfast.”

She tossed the wrapper into a nearby wastebasket and licked her fingers, making sure to collect all of the crumbs. 

Still blushing, Erin willed her heart rate to slow down, hoping she wasn’t currently being too obvious in her staring at the blonde. It was only polite to look at your partner of conversation, which she assumed was her only saving grace right now. She doubted it was polite to look like a smitten school girl at the person you were speaking to, nor did it seem especially polite to focus just a little too much on how the blonde was licking the chocolate frosting off her fingers.

Instead, she just decided to focus on shop talk, the books always being a safer topic of conversation than the absolutely _sinful_ way Jillian was devouring the cupcake.

“And you’re always late in returning said reading.” The redhead quipped, taking a small bite of her own cupcake. 

“I’m  _sorrrry_.” Holtzmann dragged out. “I always try to bring them back on time, but sometimes I just like reading it over- maybe three times.” She confessed, causing Erin to smile at her again. 

“You’re lucky you’re cute; imagine all the fines you would have gotten otherwise.” Erin giggled.

Yes, a whole 25 cents per book per day. Truly shocking.

“I–” The blonde’s ears perked up and for a moment in brief history, Jillian had been rendered speechless.

Her mouth hung open in shock, the taste of chocolate still lingering in her mouth. Her cheeks turned a shade of pink that closely matched the sprinkles on Erin’s cupcake. 

Erin’s eyes widened blush grew a little brighter as she realized what she had just said, and how those words could be interpreted.

“I’ll, emm… I’ll get you those books.” 

Placing the cupcake on the desk, she quickly turned around and dashed off before Holtzmann could think of a response, the redhead secretly hoping maybe the blonde would have gone by the time she had gotten back with the books. In any case, she’d need the time to compose herself and think of a good excuse for calling the blonde baker ‘cute’. 

Holtzmann looked around wishing that someone had witnessed what had just occurred and her mind began to replay it in her mind. Did the librarian understand that she hadn’t been joking? That her flirtatious quips hadn’t been for laughs? She leaned against the counter and waited for the other woman to return.

When the redhead re-emerged, a grin cracked across the blonde’s face - she had had time to recover in her own way. “Well, if it isn’t Ms.  _Fine_.” Holtzmann drawled, smirking at the librarian. “Back to scold me over your very strict return policy.”

Erin wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved to see Jillian Holtzmann still standing at the check-out desk when she returned. The blonde was wearing that same cocky and self-satisfied grin that had always made her a little weak in the knees, and it was almost a relief when the blonde decided not to comment on her earlier slip-up.

“If I can be bribed with cupcakes it can hardly be that strict now, can it?” She asked, a relieved smile on her face. Still, she didn’t quite meet Holtzmann’s gaze as she placed the books on the desk, pushing them towards the blonde.

“You have always been very lenient with me and for that I’m grateful.” Holtzmann let out a deep breath before she dared to do the unthinkable. She brought the comment into light. “I guess the rules don’t apply to cute folk, like myself.” She gestured to herself. 

Erin, who had barely gotten herself calmed down, felt a wave of nausea hit her at the blonde’s words.

Of  _course_  Holtzmann had heard, and of  _course_  Holtzmann wasn’t gonna let that go.

She felt her face flush again, embarrassment taking over as she fought the urge to just run away again. “I’m sorry,” She stammered out, avoiding the blonde’s gaze still, “it just slipped out. I mean, not that I don’t think you’re cute, but feel free to take it in the friend way if you want and if that makes things less awkward because I know you like reading and I don’t want you to have to avoid this place just because I said something stupid.”

“Woah, woah, woah.” Jillian set the books back down on the counter and held her hands up in a defensive manner. “It’s okay!” She offered the librarian a genuine smile- there was no hint of teasing, no hint of sarcasm in her voice. “We’re alright.”

Her blue eyes widened as she tried to let this situation sink in, her mind rushing at a million miles per minute.

The ‘cute’ comment had happened.

She hadn’t made that up.

She wasn’t  _dreaming_. 

“I ought to give you a badge, actually.” She admitted. “When you said that, I shut up  _faster_ than volatile liquids evaporate. You should be proud, I’m impressed.”

Despite her nerves, this had Erin giggling a little, glad that the comment hadn’t insulted the blonde. And watching the librarian smile, Holtzmann cradled the books back into her arms and glanced down briefly at the cover before trying to meet Erin’s gaze. 

“Hypothetical question- if I were to take you out, would I get in trouble if I brought you back late?”  She quirked an eyebrow.

“You mean… on a date?” Erin asked hesitantly, a hopeful smile on her face.

Holtzmann nodded, a surprisingly steady hand reaching up and rubbing the back of her head. 

“Confession time.” She gave a sideways smile. “I own most of these books.”

The collection of her science books were actually quite astoundingly stacked around her apartment.

“I met up with a friend here once– saw you and…” She gave her hands a wild gesture. “I checked out a book so I could say something to you and then I legitimately lost it!” Her eyes were wild as she tried to rush through an explanation. 

“So, you know, I-I thought I could apologize with cupcakes and it was just another excuse to talk to you and now it’s kinda become our thing. Books for cupcakes.”

Erin felt her jaw drop a little at the confession, utterly amazed that someone would go through all that trouble just to talk to her, just because they liked her. It was incredibly sweet and almost straight out of a romance movie, and she felt herself smiling more and more as the blonde talked. Holtzmann liked her. Holtzmann wanted to go on a date with her. She felt her heart skip a beat as she continued to smile at the other woman.

Holtzmann brushed an untamed blonde curl out of her face. 

“Erin.” She started, but didn’t know where to lead this conversation. “I t-tend to find most social settings our easier when I joke around.” She explained. “A-and you didn’t say  _anything_ stupid. I m-mean it.” Now her face was red. “I want to check you out.” She grimaced. “ _Take you_. Take you out.”

She shook her head and forced herself to take a breath. She looked down at her shoes, her heart hammering in her chest. She had been dropping hints for months now hoping the red head would pick up on it, but now it came to this. “Is that something you like to do? Would you like to go out? You don’t have to, I’ll still bring you cupcakes.”

Placing her hand over the baker’s free one, the one still resting on the desk, Erin laughed. “I would love that.” She said, feeling absolutely ridiculously happy. “And, umm… In the interest of full disclosure I should probably mention that I was really glad when you kept coming back, and I like that books and cupcakes are our thing, because I’ve kind of liked you since you first walked into this place.”

Holtzmann looked down at their hands and felt like a little kid in the middle of a science museum. Her fingers curled into the wood of the counter as her eyes fluttered back up to the librarian. Flirting had always been a second nature, actually getting to the dating stage made her want to hurl. Dating girls was hard, especially if you didn’t know whether or not said girl was into girls. With Erin, Jillian had really gone out on a limb, but there was a feeling hidden deep down that Erin may have liked her.

 _And she had been right_.

“You know that scene in Rudolph when the lady reindeer calls little Rudolph cute and he starts flying around because he’s so happy?” The blonde asked. “Yeah– that’s what I would be doing if I could fly.”

“I’ve never seen Rudolph.” Erin confessed, a ridiculously dopey smile still on her face as she looked at Holtzmann. Holtzmann who  _liked_  her, who was actually  _excited_  about going on a date with her. Erin wasn’t sure what the blonde saw in her, but she didn’t feel like questioning that now. She was much too blissfully happy to have her overthinking things burst that bubble.

Holtzmann, for her part, beamed so hard that her face nearly split in two. Her stomach had done a complete flip. She turned her hand over so her palm was touching Erin’s as she gently tapped her fingers against the other woman. “Do you like Chinese food?”

Twining their fingers together, Erin nodded. “I love it. And umm… My shift ends at 6, so…”

Holtzmann stood there for a moment, relishing in the sensation of Erin’s fingers interlaced with her own. Her head tilted and landed on her right shoulder as she grinned at the woman. After several seconds ticked by, the blonde forced herself to look at her over-sized watch. 

“6, huh?” She echoed. “That gives me ample time to get ready and come sweep you off your feet.”

Blue hues sparkled as she tried to play the scenario in her head. How dressed up so she get? Should it be casual? Flowers on a first date? What if the other woman was allergic? What if she wasn’t. “Are you allergic to anything?”

Erin couldn’t help but giggle at that; as if the blonde needed to sweep her off her feet. As far as Erin was concerned, she’d fallen fast and hard for the woman from the moment she first saw her, when those brilliant blue eyes looked at her and had asked her where to find ‘baking for dummies’ because she ‘wanted to see if she had to correct anything’. Erin had been successfully swept off her feet right there and then, stunned by Holtzmann’s beauty and wit.

Speaking of beauty… she suddenly realized that if Holtzmann were to pick her up at 6, she’d have no time to get changed. Looking down at her own outfit, she knew she couldn’t exactly consider it date-worthy. Too sexy for academia, sure, but not date-worthy. “I’m not allergic to anything that I know of, but…” She looked back up at Holtzmann, a frown on her face. “You  _do_  know I won’t have time to get changed, right?”

Blue hues met with fabulous greenish hues and the part-time baker/part-time engineer was finding it difficult to focus on much else. She stepped to the side briefly so another book wanderer could check out their finds. She smiled to herself, knowing that they didn’t make cupcakes for Erin and it was, in fact, their thing.

“Noted. Not allergic.” She quickly stored that bit of information into her brain– so, yes, that meant she could bring flowers on the first date. When the other browser finally exited the library, Holtzmann scooted back to her original place. “I  _could_ pick you up later if it means that much to you, but I think you look very beautiful right now and I would hate for you to think that you have to change for me.”

Erin blushed a little at that, still finding it odd the cute blonde seemed to like her. “If you’re sure…” She said, still looking a bit hesitant as she bit her lip. 

“I’m positive.” As if to prove her point, Holtzmann reached across the table and gently tapped Erin’s nose, causing the librarian to giggle a little again.

“I’ll see you at 6, then?” She asked hesitantly.

“I’ll see you at six.” Holtzmann confirmed, turning on her heels as she began to exit, before quickly turning back around. 

“I guess I should return these.” She tapped the books with a sly grin, placing them on the check-out counter and sliding them back over to Erin. “I managed to already find what I was looking for.” Then she shot the librarian a wink and strode out with a swagger.


End file.
